Truck lane in Santa Teresa speeds up border shipments

Feb. 05, 2018

SANTA TERESA, N.M. (AP) — A cargo lane for trucks has sped up border shipments from a Foxconn plant on the Mexican side of the Santa Teresa border crossing as part of a new pilot program.

It's one of two pre-inspection pilot programs that have weapons-carrying U.S. Customs officers on site in uniform inspecting cargo in Mexico. Once shipments are inspected, trucks can haul the cargo across the border using a dedicated and secure lane, the Albuquerque Journal reported .

Foxconn, a Taiwanese company that builds Dell computers and other consumer electronics, is the only manufacturing facility in Mexico with pre-inspection. The other program is in Tijuana at the Otay Mesa border crossing for trucks carrying Mexican produce.

The pre-inspection program and dedicated truck lane in Santa Teresa is a major accomplishment, according to trade experts.

"It's an afterglow perhaps of this optimistic North American-shared future that our governments had at that time," said Patrick Schaefer, executive director of the Hunt Institute of Global Competitiveness at the University of Texas El Paso. The institute's research includes the border economy and trade issues that include southern New Mexico. Schaefer said the dedicated lane is a clear sign of Foxconn's influence at the Santa Teresa crossing.

"Santa Teresa, you could call it Santa Foxconn," said Schaefer.

Francisco "Pancho" Uranga, Foxconn's corporate vice president and CEO for Latin America, was traveling and not available for an interview. Border Industrial Association president Jerry Pacheco also did not want to comment on the cargo lane. He is among trade advocates in southern New Mexico carefully following NAFTA renegotiation talks.

"Make the modifications. Come to an agreement. Let's modernize the treaty," said Pacheco.